The irritating jingle belted out by Go Compare's portly opera singer was the most-played piece of music used in TV and radio ads last year.

The price comparison website's tenor Gio Compario – who implores the public to "Go Compare, Go Compare" insurance online with his annoying, yet memorable, catchphrase – helped drive almost £10m in royalties for UK songwriters from music used in ads in 2012.

"Music's role in TV adverts has always been significant, and under-rated, but its never been more beneficial for songwriters to land that deal," says Dan Neale, head of music at ad agency RKCR.

Other songs that made the top 10 list include Speech Debelle's Spinnin for Sky, Blur's The Universal for British Gas and Take That's Shine for Morrisons supermarket chain.

PRS for Music, the UK's music royalty body, said that royalties from radio ads totalled £1.9m last year, while TV commercials pulled in £8m.

Synchronisation, or sync, income from music used in ads is becoming an increasingly important revenue stream for artists.

"Sync is an essential source of income for me so I can keep writing and producing music that makes people listen," said Debelle.

Neale added that the right piece of music used in the right ad can be career-making for a musician.

"The exposure and reach artists can gain by getting a song in a commercial is a huge benefit as it allows them to cut through the many thousands of acts that the modern audience has access to," he said. "The licence fee and royalties that are generated by the campaign can change a songwriter's career."

Retailer John Lewis's Christmas TV campaigns have become a highly-anticipated event, as much for the choice of music as the commercial itself, with last year's effort launching the career of Gabrielle Aplin.

John Lewis has provided the launch pad for hits, including Fyfe Dangerfield's cover of She's Always A Woman, Ellie Goulding's cover of Elton John's Your Song and Taken by Trees cover of Sweet Child O'Mine.

John Lewis's advertising is handled by agency adam&eveDDB.

Top 20 most-played songs in adverts

Position

Work Title

Writer

Advert

Performed By

1

Over There

George M. Cohan

Go Compare

N/A

2

Y.M.C.A

Edward Willis, Jacques Morali, Henri Belolo

Confused.com

N/A

3

Eliza's Aria

Elena Kats-Chernin

Lloyd's TSB

Elena Kats-Chernin (Wild Swans ballet)

4

Spinnin'

Mike Lindsay, Corynne Elliott, Pat Marks, Jason Richards

Sky

Speech Debelle

5

Primavera

Ludovico Einaudi

Santander

Ludovico Einaudi

6

The Universal

Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Steven James, David Rowntree

British Gas

Blur

7

Shine

Gary Barlow, Paul Donald, Paul Robson, Jason Orange, Mark Owen

Morrisons

Take That

8

Here Come the Girls

Allen Toussaint

Boots

Sugarbabes

9

Rescue Me

Carl Smith, Raynard Miner

British Gas

Fontella Bass

10

Have Love Will Travel

Richard Berry

LV Insurance

The Sonics

11

Young Folks

Peter Moren, John Eriksson, Bjorn Yttling

Homebase

Peter, Bjorn, and John

12

Bring Me Sunshine

Sylvia Dee, Arthur Kent

Coca-Cola

Willie Nelson

13

Busy

Olly Murs, Martin Brammer, Adam Argyle

Marks & Spencer

Olly Murs

14

Our House

Graham Nash

B & Q

Amber State (cover of Crosby Stills & Nash)

15

Give a Little Love

Damian Katkhuda

Asda

The Mostar Diving Club

16

The Snow Prelude No 3 in C Major

Ludovico Einaudi

Nationwide

Ludovico Einaudi

17

Welcome Home

Benjamin P Cooper

Nikon

Radical Face

18

It's a Good Day

Dave Barbour, Peggy Lee

Garnier

Peggy Lee

19

Barcarolle

Jacques Offenbach , Jack Byfield

Barclays

Arr: Keith J Blainville

20

Ain't No Mountain High Enough

Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson

DHL

Created by Paul Epworth ft Vula Malinga.

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